The murder of three Hindu doctors in Chak town last November sparked protests and became a twisted tale of revenge and acrimony between clans and religious groups. PHOTO: PPI

SUKKUR:

The contentious dispute between the Hindus and Bhayo clan in Chak, Shikarpur district that has simmered since late last year has reportedly been resolved by a jirga that fined both sides for their role.

The murder of three Hindu doctors in Chak town last November sparked protests and became a twisted tale of revenge and acrimony between clans and religious groups. The angst and tension of those weeks is in marked contrast to how quietly the dispute between the Hindus of Chak and the Bhayo clan implicated in the case was quietly resolved this week.

The Hindus and Bhayos reportedly reached an agreement at a jirga held in Karachi this week. The jirga heard from both sides and a long discussion ensued. The jirga reportedly found the Bhayo men guilty of killing three Hindus and injuring one. They were fined Rs. 3.9 million – with Rs1.2 million per murder and Rs300,000 for the injured.

The jirga also found Hindu boys responsible for assaulting Seema Bhayo and imposed a fine of Rs700,000.

The parties involved accepted the jirga’s verdict, sources said. The Bhayos have promised to pay the fine in three installments after deducting the Rs700,000 that the Hindus were asked to pay.

It is also believed that MNA Maulana Attaur Rehman, whose brother Maulana Fazlur Rehman is the head of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), played a key role because the men accused and arrested for killing the three doctors are JUI-F supporters.

Sardar Wahid Bux Bhayo was not aware of a jirga but said that the parties may have covertly resolved the issue.The president of the Hindu Panchayat in Chak, Engineer Prem Chand, denied that he was in Karachi at the time. However, sources have insisted that the jirga was held and the Hindus will withdraw case after payment of two installments of fine.

Ramesh Kumar, the patron of the Pakistan Hindu Council, confirmed that the jirga was held on Sunday. “There were three sardars and an amount was settled. People weren’t getting justice in the regular way so this jirga was held to end the fear in the Hindu community, because the murderers were roaming around freely.”

Manzoor Panhwar said that he and Ghous Bux Mahar had gone to the Hindu community after hearing that they were planning to immigrate in the aftermath of the case. “They treated us with respect and said we can send the Bhayos to them,” Panhwar told The Express Tribune. “We told the Hindus that they can fine the Bhayos or forgive them.”

Case History

On November 8, 2011 three Hindu doctors – Ashok, Naresh and Ajeet Kumar – were shot dead and Dr Satya Pal was injured after four gunmen entered Dr Pal’s house and began firing. The murders were sparked by a dispute in Sitampur Muhalla, Chak, over a Bhayo girl, Seema.

While the Hindu community claimed Seema had a relationship with a boy called Sandeep, the Bhayo clan alleged that she had been assaulted. On November 10, Dr Naresh Kumar’s brother Suresh registered a First Information Report (No 80/2011) at the Chak police station against 11 Bhayo clansmen including Qazi Ghulam Mohammad, Mohammad Iqbal, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Ramzan, Maulvi Ehsanullah Bhayo, Mohammad Aslam Bhayo, Maulvi Naeem Bhayo, Ubaidullah Bhayo, Abdul Latif Bhayo, Abdul Ghani Bhayo and Abdul Rauf Bhayo. The police had arrested seven of these men and charged them in court.

Seema Bhayo is now reportedly married to her cousin in Shikarpur district.

Where is the court system?? Weren’t Jirgas declared illegal by the SC??? I am not against the settlement but only that the law and order in the country has broken down and the Courts have failed to deliver justice, such that people are relying on their old informal system to find justice. Does the SC and the CJ read newspapers to discover how ineffectual they have become.

I think the Indus Vally civilizations had better justice system. Jirga for murder cases??? happening in 21st century and that’s too in Karachi (Pakistan’s biggest city)??? Unbelievable!!! I have no cle what you people are up to…

I think this confirms that Pakistan is more of tribal in nature. No belief in judicial systems, no beliefs in negotiations, pull out a sword/gun for anyone who oppose your views, kidnap and convert minority girls, no respect for the concept of nation state, agreements between the army and its own citizens(in North and South Waziristan)

so they shot dead because one of their community girl fallen love with a guy sandeep ?And what they do when they forcebily abduct girls of other community and married them ?
Then Seema Bhayo is now reportedly married to her cousin ..damm bro-sis marriage typical islamic way of life…..